This invention relates to systems and methods for processing and collecting blood, blood constituents, or other suspensions of cellular material.
Today people routinely separate whole blood, usually by centrifugation, into its various therapeutic components, such as red blood cells, platelets, and plasma.
Conventional blood processing methods use durable centrifuge equipment in association with single use, sterile processing systems, typically made of plastic. The operator loads the disposable systems upon the centrifuge before processing and removes them afterwards.
Conventional blood centrifuges are of a size that does not permit easy transport between collection sites. Furthermore, loading and unloading operations can sometimes be time consuming and tedious.
In addition, a need exists for further improved systems and methods for collecting blood components in a way that lends itself to use in high volume, on line blood collection environments, where higher yields of critically needed cellular blood components, like plasma, red blood cells, and platelets, can be realized in reasonable short processing times.
The operational and performance demands upon such fluid processing systems become more complex and sophisticated, even as the demand for smaller and more portable systems intensifies. The need therefore exists for automated blood processing controllers that can gather and generate more detailed information and control signals to aid the operator in maximizing processing and separation efficiencies.
The invention provides systems and methods for processing blood and blood constituents that lend themselves to portable, flexible processing platforms equipped with straightforward and accurate control functions.
More particularly, the invention provides centralized, programmable, and integrated platforms to carry out diverse and coordinated pumping and valving functions, e.g., such as required for blood processing.
One aspect of the invention provides a blood processing system comprising a processing chamber to process blood. The system includes a fluid flow cassette communicating with the processing chamber. The cassette comprises a body, a pump chamber formed in the body, and a flexible diaphragm on the pump chamber responsive to an applied fluid pressures for flexure toward and away from the pump chamber to pump fluid through the pump chamber. The cassette also includes a flow path formed, at least in part, in the body to couple the pump chamber in fluid flow communication with the processing chamber, to convey fluid pumped by the pump chamber into the processing chamber. The cassette also includes an in line cavity formed in the body and located in the flow path to trap air to prevent entry of air into the processing chamber.
Another aspect of the invention provides a blood processing system comprising a processing chamber to process blood. The system includes a fluid flow cassette communicating with the processing chamber comprising a body, a pump chamber formed in the body, and a flexible diaphragm on the pump chamber responsive to fluid pressures applied in pulsatile pump strokes for flexure toward and away from the pump chamber to pump fluid through the pump chamber. The cassette also includes a flow path formed, at least in part, in the body to couple the pump chamber in fluid flow communication with the processing chamber, to convey fluid pumped by the pump chamber into the processing chamber. The cassette further includes an in line cavity formed in the body and located in the flow path to trap air and serve as a capacitor to dampen the pulsatile pump strokes.
In one embodiment, the processing chamber can serve to separate blood into components.
In one embodiment, the fluid flow cassette can include a valve in the body communicating with the pump chamber, and a flexible diaphragm on the valve responsive to fluid pressures for flexure to open and close the valve in concert with operation of the pump chamber.
In one embodiment, the cassette can include a second cavity in the body communicating with the pump chamber. The second cavity includes a blood filtration media.
Other features and advantages of the inventions are set forth in the following specification and attached drawings.